The Smart Lab: 5 Marketing Mistakes to Avoid This Holiday Season

Every jeweler knows the busiest time of year is the holiday season, the period from November to January when consumers are celebrating engagements and shopping for gifts for loved ones.

This is your prime selling season, and you’ll want to maximize your efforts to get the most out of every marketing dollar.

According to recent studies, online shopping represents between 18 and 20 percent of all retail sales globally and this number is only expected to grow.   

Whether you’re actively selling online or using digital marketing to drive foot traffic into your jewelry store, you’ll want to avoid these five holiday marketing mistakes.

1. Not investing enough in paid advertising
Digital marketing can produce fantastic organic results to reach your audience. But remember, you’re dependent on Google and Facebook’s algorithms to make things “go viral.” The only way to guarantee that someone sees your content is to pay for it.

One of the best ways to invest in your paid advertising is to create a custom audience based on your Facebook followers.

You can also use the demographics and profile data of your existing customer base to go after people who are similar to your current customers. Like birds of a feather, jewelry buyers tend to flock together in the same social groups. Custom audiences enable you to reach customers who are receptive to the styles and brands that your jewelry store carries.

Another good method of paid advertising is to target previous website visitors and segment them based on user behavior. 

Anyone who added a product to your shopping cart is a prime target to go after. With a remarketing ad you can remind and encourage these reluctant buyers to come back to your site to complete the sale. 

There is a return on investment you can immediately see, and this type of ad easily pays for itself.

2. No marketing plan going into the holiday season
You should have mapped out your holiday marketing strategy back in the summertime. It takes time to coordinate all the pieces to create successful campaigns. You need marketing assets such as text, images and video. You also need to know which styles to feature and what format your ads will be. 

If you haven’t yet, stop now and take time to plan your marketing until the end of the year.  There are still things you can accomplish if you make the holidays a priority at your jewelry store.

If you don’t have the resources now, then shift your focus to New Year’s.  Start next year off on the right foot which will help carry you throughout the year.

3. No special holiday offers
Part of what makes the holidays so special are all the great deals everyone has. Promotions are no longer an option; consumers expect them. 

Offers are what draw people to your website or jewelry store. You need something to promote that stops them dead in their tracks and makes them want to know more.  

People have a lot of options to choose from, not only from competing jewelry stores but also with other categories. Jewelry often competes with electronics, fashion handbags, and, this year again to an extent, “experiences,” such as spa treatments, vacations, etc. 

A good holiday offer can mean the difference between someone buying jewelry or giving serious consideration to another gift.

4. Not optimizing your site for mobile
Think of the last time you needed to visit a website. Did you use your desktop computer, or did you simply reach into your pocket and pull out your phone? 

User behavior has changed. The whole world is now at your fingertips with unlimited knowledge and jewelry styles to choose from. 

E-commerce sales are expected to be more than 50 percent mobile driven in 2021, which is a first. 

Desktops aren’t going away entirely but they’re just not how many people shop online anymore. The phone is now king!

5. Missing out on chances to up-sell or cross-sell your products
With every item you sell, you should use it as an opportunity to up-sell or cross-sell other products.  

When someone buys a necklace, why not suggest matching earrings?  

When someone buys a bracelet, why not encourage them to buy more and create their own jewelry stack? 

When someone buys a few items of the same style, why not encourage them to explore the full collection? This exposes more opportunities to make sales and increases the average order amount.

Remember, your best source of new orders are always your existing customers. 

First-time buyers are 27 percent likely to come back to your business, but second- or third-time buyers are 54 percent likely to return. There’s a familiarity there. Your customers already know, like and trust you! Use it to your advantage.

In conclusion, the holidays are your time to shine.  

Avoid these 5 marketing mistakes and improve your campaigns.

Analyze what worked in past years and vow to do things differently this year. And avoid a rushed and haphazard approach by taking time to truly understand your audience and outline what your marketing goals are.  

By making the holidays a priority in your jewelry business, your customers won’t be the only ones celebrating.